


Bearing Witness

by notjustmom



Series: IronStrange Bingo [12]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Established Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, M/M, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-06 14:39:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18390434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: “These scars bear witness but whether to repair or to destruction I no longer know.” - Adrienne RichPrompt: History





	1. Tony

He had never allowed anyone to see his scars, at least no one besides the doctors that Rhodey had made him see after his rescue in Afghanistan, and the surgeons who had removed the shrapnel that still remained in his chest, his attempt to prove to Pepper that he was serious about giving up his hobby that ultimately failed because he simply worked out another way to be Iron Man. 

And of course, Pepper had seen them once, when he had to ask her for help with the copper wire, but after that, he always made sure he was wearing a shirt when he knew she was around, and especially in bed, once they had reached that point in their relationship. She had understood, he supposed, or he had assumed she had, he knew now that he had made a lot of assumptions in error. But that was in the past. So much was in the past, and so much of it seemed to be etched onto his skin.

If Stephen ever asked him to name each and every scar, he probably could, down to the weapon that caused it and the day of the week, even what the weather was like that day, but he never asked, and he didn't offer the information. It had taken months before he trusted Stephen enough to show him everything, he had never asked specifically to see them, but he had understood what it meant the first time Tony undressed as the midday sunlight blasted through the bedroom windows, and he stood shivering in front of him, ready to be accepted in love, or rejected.

He still remembered the look that washed over his lover's face, pleasantly surprised, with a trace of sadness, or maybe it was anger, not directed at him, but at the people who had dared to leave their marks on the man he loved. He had quickly responded in kind, and Tony had finally realized that he had been hiding his past away selfishly. He had only made it more difficult for Stephen to bare his own close brushes with death, to share his own scars with him, and soon he found himself on his knees, begging his forgiveness. Long arms cradled him as he wept, then carefully lifted him onto their bed, no words were spoken, and yet he had never felt more loved in his life, as Stephen pressed gentle kisses over the worst of the damage that crisscrossed his chest.

After Stephen had fallen asleep in his arms, he remained wide awake, as he realized he had finally been seen for the first time in his life, he had been seen and not found wanting, and he wondered how he could repay the man who shifted in his sleep then, not pulling away, but attempting to get even closer to all his imperfections.

All he knew to do was close his eyes, and wrap his arms tighter around him as he finally drifted off to sleep, a dreamless rest, for the first time in years.


	2. Stephen

"Stephen."

"Yeah?"

"Can you come in here, please?"

Stephen started, nearly dropping his coffee. Tony never said please, it just wasn't something that was in his vocabulary, and he wondered briefly if he had fallen or hit his head, and he found himself nearly out of breath as he left his office and almost ran the few hundred feet to their bedroom. "Are you -" His breath caught as he looked into Tony's eyes and saw the doubts and fear he'd only seen once before, and he wanted to make it stop. "Wha -" He went silent as Tony pulled off his jeans and boxers, then slowly lifted the ancient Black Sabbath shirt over his head and let it slip from his fingers. He knew there were no words that could make him believe how brave and beautiful he was at that moment, all he could offer him was his own war-torn, battle scarred body, so he kept his eyes locked on the deep brown eyes he loved so well, and quickly undressed, then watched as he went to his knees in tears and all he could do was follow in silence.

He pulled him into his arms and sighed as he felt him bury his face against his chest, and for a moment, he wondered at the idea that of everyone on the planet, he was the person this brilliant, defiant, indestructible man trusted enough to allow him to see him completely, to love him and all of his brokenness. As he lifted him carefully into his arms then into their bed, he realized Tony had given him the same gift, the gift of being seen, not simply as a warrior, but as a survivor and a lover. He pressed kiss after kiss over Tony's chest, and shivered as he felt the strong, sturdy fingers run over skin that hadn't been touched in love, since, he couldn't honestly remember when.

He tried to keep his eyes open, afraid that if he fell asleep, he would wake to find it had all been a dream, but he soon found himself lost to the sound of them breathing together, as if they had finally discovered how. He moved closer, as if he could simply disappear into the man who held him tightly in his arms, if he only knew the right words.


	3. Midnight

Stephen sighed as he felt kisses over his knuckles, then opened his eyes to find Tony watching him carefully.

"You slept."

Tony nodded.

"You stayed."

He nodded again.

Stephen reached out and laid his hand over Tony's chest and whispered, "you're so beautiful." Tony's eyes searched his for a moment, then tried to look away, but Stephen shook his head. "You are beautiful, Tony Stark, and I will keep telling you so, every single day until you believe me, and then I'll keep telling you after that, just because I like what the words do to your eyes."

"Stephen -" Tony began, but Stephen shook his head and kissed away his next words.

"Beautiful, and not just because I love you."

"You love me."

"Yeah, Stark, I do." Stephen held his breath and began to roll away in expectation of whatever snarky retort was on its way.

"Then it's a good thing I love you too, isn't it?"

Stephen looked down at the man who was grinning at him and whispered, "yeah, I guess it is," then straddled his thighs and kissed him breathless, then pulled away and gazed into the dark, shining eyes. "A very good thing."


End file.
